Automatic call mechanism



Aug. 15, 1933. w DRlscOLL 1,922,572

AUTOMATIC CALL MECHANI SM Filed Sept. 28, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l g- 1933- D. w. DRISCOLL AUTOMATIC CALL MECHANISM Filed Sept. 28, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1933-. D. w. DR ISCOLL 1,922,572

AUTOMATIC CALL MECHANISM Filed Sept. 28, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 an; TAM/V64 59 61064 OPAWA 750 Con/r402- 6 SWITCH \71 Patented Aug. 15, 1933 UNrrEosTA'TEs PATENT OFFICE Daniel W. Driscoll, Villanova, l a.

Application September 28, 192'":

Serial No. 222,590

Claims (01. 200 m) The present invention relates to automatic call mechanisms, and more particularly-the invention relates I to combined electrical call and time mechanisms which may beset to give an alarm 5 signal at predetermined times.

A primary object of my invention is the provision of novel call mechanisms of compact and simple construction and reliable in 1 operation which may be set to give an alarm at predetermined time intervals, and which may be constructed at comparatively low cost. 7

Another object of my invention is the provision of a combination electric call and time mechanism the operation of' which is continuous when once connected with an electric circuit thus eliminating the necessity of periodical winding.

I Still another object of my invention is the provisionof an electric call mechanism provided with manually adjustable means to predetermine the sounding of an alarm at a'desired time.

A further objectof the invention is the pro vision of a combination'electric call and time mechanism compactly arranged in a case which will be both-ornamental and attractive inappearance and useful. h v

Other objects of the invention will appear as the, description thereof proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a front-view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

I Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view; looking toward the back of the mechanism shown in Fi l le l. g 1

Figure 3 isa vertical sectional view taken at right angles to the section of Figure 2.

Figure i is a fragmental end view showing the control contact arrangement for the alarm mechanism. 1 Figure 5 is a wiring diagram showing theconnections between the different elements entering into the invention. I 1 a Referring to the drawings by reference characters in which like characters designate like parts,

10 designates a case which may be formed of any I 5 desired material as well as in any desiredform,

but as shown, is so formed or shaped as tocompactly receive the clockwork as well as to present a neat app'earance for a household or desk clock. r v 7 Case 10 in the front thereof is provided with a circular opening 11' in which is supported a flanged ring member 12 to the flange of which a dial 13 is secured. Surrounding the opening 11 is provided with a suitable :catch 16, the door frame supports the customary glass or crystal 1?.

Case 10 is provided with a detachable back 18 which is detachably secured toa flange 19 eX-' tending inwardly from the back of theedge surfaces of the case. Secured to back 18 by means of screws 21' are a plurality of posts 22 which extend inwardly-of the case. and are detachably secured by means .of screws 23 to a supporting plate '24. Secured to and supported by plate 24 by means of a pair of posts 25 is'a synchronous electric motor 26, preferably of the typeknown commercially as a Telechronmotor, provided with field magnet 27 and other parts well known in the construction of such motors. The motor shaft carries a pinion 2,8 whic meshes with the gear wheel 29 of the clock works 30 which are of-any well knownconstruction and provided with'the setting knob30". The motor thus drives .the clock works continuously in a properly timed rate regulated by the. frequency 32 extend through the dial 13 and have attached .of the A. C. supply source instead of being de thereto the hour and minute hands 33 and 34 re;-

spectively. Keyed toshaft 31 is a: sprocket wheel 35 and suitably journaled on a support 36 attached to the plate 24 is a sprocket wheel 3'7. The

sprocket wheels35 and 37 are preferably arranged Y V in vertical alignmentasshown in Figures 2 and 3 r and the movement'of fthe sprocket 35 is com} municated to; the sprocket 3'? by means of a sprocket 'chain 38 which embraces the two sprockets 35 and 3'7. The sprockets 35 and 37 are of equal diameter in order that shafts 3l and 38 will rotate at the same, speed. Y

Supported and driven by sprocket 3'7 is short tubular shaft 38 provided with diametrically opposite slots 39 (Figure 2) extending inwardly from the end thereof. Suitably secured to the .inside of the front of the case is an insulation block-l1 which-as shown in Figure 4 is preferably circular in form and extending through the block adjacent the periphery thereof and through the front of the case is a circular series of con-' tact pins 42. 7

Extending through the case and into the block 41 centrally thereof is a sleeve 43 and in alignment therewith extending into the opposite side of the block is a sleeve 44. Extending through the-sleeve 43 is a shaft 45 which is retained in the sleeve by means of a washer 46 and a nut 47. Integrally connected wtih the washer46 is a suitable metallic conductingmember 48 which extends through and terminates beyond the edge of the insulation block 41 as shown in Figure 3. Secured to the outer end of the shaft 45 is a suitable adjusting knob 49 provided with an index finger 51. The front of the case is provided with a suitable dial 52 in register with the ends of the pins- 42 which extend through the case. Dial 52 is provided with time markings outward of the pins 42, pins 42 being within the margin of member 49.

Fixed to shaft 45 between the case and member 49 anddirectly under the index finger 51' is a spring contact arm 53, the outer end of which is adapted toengage'the ends of the pins 42 upon rotation of the member 49. The ends'of pins 42 are adapted to be. engaged by the contact an 53'and are preferably slightly recessed as indicated at 54 so that the end of the arm will snap into the recesses to locate the arm. 7 Extending through the sleeve 44 is a shaft 55 which is retained within the sleeve by means of a washer 56 and nut 57 and secured to'shaft 55 adjacent the inner surface of the block 41 is a collar 58 to which is integrallylsecured a spring contact arm 59. The free end of the shaft 55 is provided with the oppositely extending projec tions 6i which nest in slots 39' of the tubular. shaft 38 connecting the shafts 38 and 5 5 for simultaneous rotation. v

Pins42 are arrangedwithin the block 41 to correspond with certain time intervals. As disclosed the pins'are 43 in number, thus corresponding to 15 .rninute intervals; and the ii1- V diceson'the tiine dial;1 3,and indicating dial52 as sho'wnfliniFigure 1 are arranged in similar order and it will beobserved from Figure 1 that the'indiceson the dial 52 corresponding to the hours of the day, .reg'isterwith certain pins with three other'pins' between each two "corresponding to certain hours. 1, 7

Supported within the detachable back Bad jace'nt the bottom thereof is a receptacle"62 means of which the clock is connected with an-electriccircuit, and secured-tattle inner face of the back" 118- is a bell transformer .63 proportinned to stepfldown the voltage of the usual commercial. lighting current supply a value suit able for the operation. of an ordinary low. voltage electric bell mechanism.

Mou-nted .onthe inner face". of back 13 isia channel shaped metallic name 64 in'which is supported bell or buzzer eleetromagne ts 65 adapted in well known manner to act upon arf mature 66 which is provided with the frame en gaging spring 6'7. Armature 66 is pivoted at 68 and carries a rod 69 supporting at the'free end thereof the hammer '71 adapted to intermittently engage bell 72 suitably secured-to the case by means-of a bracket'73t Supported within the )frontof the case adjacent the indicating member. 49' is a switch '74 by means of which the bellcan be thrown out of, circuit and the alarm stopped. Referring to Figure 5 in which the-wiring conne'ctions are diagrammatically illustrated, '75 designates the line circuit which through receptacle 62 is directly connected with the motor 26 through the conductors '76 and 77, and receptacle 62 is connected through the connections '78 and 79 with the step down bell transformer 63. Extending from the transformer 63 to the clock operated side of the block 41 is a conductor 81, and conductor 82 connects the transformer with the magnet 65 which is connected to switch 74 by a conductor 83. Switch 74 is connected with themanually operated side of the block by a conductor 84.

Operation The clock is set to the proper time by adjustment of knob 30 and is connected into a commercial A. (3. electrical circuit through the re ceptacle 62 which is accessible from the back :ofthef clock and the motor 26 isthereby put into operation and through its connection by means of the meshing pinion 28 and gear wheel 29 drives" the clock works. 30, Which'through the shafts 31 and 32 drives the hour and'minute hands 33 and 34 respectively of the clock. *The 7 7 motor is driven synchronouslyand at, a ratea'ccurately'timed .by the governing devices of the generator supplying power thereto and the clock long as power is supalarm at a'certain' time, say'fore: ample"7:4 5,

the indicating member 49 is rotated until" the index finger 51 thereof is aligned'with the inark-, ing radially outward of the pin corresponding to 7z45 as indicated in Figure land as the contact arm 53- is'fin alignment with the index finger the'end of the armwill sprin'ginto the re cessed end-of and engage the pin 42 in radial alignment with'the index fingelxf As the con I tact arm 59 continues'to revolve it' will, due to its simultaneous movement with the hour hand 33 engage the opposite'end of the pin 42 indicated by the, index finger 51 which will result in closing a circuit through the transformer, relay, and opposite sides of theinsulation block tion of the bell will continue until the contact member 59 moves out of contact with the particular pin or until the switch is thrown open or to the position marked Off in Figure 1.

Opera- When it is desired to set the alarm for a certainti'rne as a precautionary means, it is well to turn the member 49 until the index finger 5-l points to the pin correspondingto the present time and if the alarm sounds all connections (are in order and then the member 49 can be turned until the index fingerpointsto the pin corresponding to the-"time it is desired'to have the alarm sounded. V v

While a chain and sprocket drive connection has been shown between the clockworkand' the time indicating hands it will be understood that other drives are contemplated as withinthe scope of the invention, the type of drive used-being a matter of choice depending uponthe desired relative position of the clock work and the time dial. For example, bevel of spur gear drives may be used in which universal joints may be interposed to transmit the motion of the clock work to the indicating hands which may be located at desired relative angular positions. It will also be understood that the time indicating dial and hands need not be located in the same case with the switching mechanism and clock work but may be a desired distance apart. Also it will be obvious that the bell or signalling mechanism need not be in the clock work casing but may be located remotely therefrom, and that a plurality of bells or signals at different points may be connected in series to give a simultaneous alarm for example, in different rooms of a house or halls of a dormitory, all controlled from a single switch and clock mechanism conveniently located.

It will thus be seen that novel callmechanis'ms and combination electrical call and time mechanisms are provided which is compact, neat in appearance and reliable in operation, the details of which may be widely varied without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth by the terms of the appended claims. Accordingly, having set forth one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric call mechanism, circuit closing means comprising a plurality of spaced conducting members and a pair of rotatable shafts insulated from each other, an indicating member carried by the outer end of one of said shafts, and a contact arm supported by the same shaft adjacent said indicating member revolvable therewith and adapted to engage the ends of said conducting members, and a contact arm supported by the outer end of the outer of said shafts adapted to engage the other ends of said conducting members to complete a signalling circuit.

2. In an electric call mechanism, an insulation block; a plurality of spaced conducting members extending through said block in a circular. series sleeves extending into said block fromopposite sides thereof centrally of said series of conducting members; a shaft rotatably mounted in each ducting members corresponding to successive time intervals, an insulating block, said conducting members being disposed in a circular series in said block, a contact member adapted to be driven in synchronism with a clock hour hand for successively and directly engaging said contact member for directly engaging any one of said conducting members whereby acircuit is closed for sounding an alarm at any predetermined time interval upon said first contact member engaging the conducting member engaged ducting members; and a manually operable conby said last contact member and in which said contact members are carried by rotatable shafts disposed in said block concentric to said conducting membersand insulated from each other.

7 4. Aselector switch for an electric call mechanism comprising a clock driven shaft; a manually rotatable shaft co-axial with said first shaft and insulated therefrom; said last shaft adapted for connection in an electrical circuit for sounding an alarm; ,a series of conducting members surrounding said shafts and insulated therefrom; a contact member carried by said first shaft for successively engaging corresponding ends of said conducting members; and a contact member carried by said last shaft for contact with the corresponding end of any one of said conducting members whereby upon said first contact member engaging the'conducting member engaged by said last contact member a circuit will be closed for sounding an alarm.

5. The combination defined in claim4 in which I said last shaft is provided with a pointer for cooperation with a dial corresponding to a time indicating dial for accurately positioning said last contact member for sounding an alarm at any desired time.

' DANIEL W. DRISCOLL. 

